Secrets in the Drift
by AsellusSynd
Summary: Sunara Deloi is Chuck Hansen's co-pilot in Striker Eureka. He develops feelings for her but is aware that she has no such feelings for him. After being injured in a kaiju battle, Chuck is laid out of commission for several months. A sudden kaiju attack forces Sunara to drift with Herc and take Striker Eureka into battle, but after their drift, Sunara finds herself falling for Herc
1. Chapter 1

Relationship: Chuck Hansen x OC, Herc Hansen x OC

Genre: Drama/Romance

Rating: M

Synopsis: Sunara Deloi is Chuck Hansen's co-pilot in Striker Eureka. He develops feelings for her but is aware that she has no such feelings for him. After being injured in a kaiju battle, Chuck is laid out of commission for several months. A sudden kaiju attack forces Sunara to drift with Herc and take Striker Eureka into battle, but after their drift, Sunara finds herself falling for Herc. She tries to hide her feelings for the sake of Chuck, but in the drift, nothing is hidden...

Chapter 1

It had been over five years since Hercules Hansen had spent more than ten minutes with his son Chuck. Once his boy had entered the Jaeger Academy, he was so focused on passing and becoming a pilot that even when Herc came to visit him, the young man could hardly be bothered to see him. Of course, not all of it was because of his training. They had always had a strained relationship and Herc knew that much of it was because of him. He had been an absentee father, but there was little he could do about it. He was a Jaeger pilot and that meant he went where the kaiju went, fought when the kaiju attacked, and raised a son in what little spare time he had between the two. He tried his best to be there for his son, especially after his wife died, but the life of a Jaeger pilot was a hard one. Death was ever present and raising a child in such circumstances was a challenge he was never prepared for.

On his way to Hong Kong's Shatterdome, Herc wondered how his best friend Stacker Pentacost had managed it. He too was a single father and Marshall of the Pan Pacific Defense Corp, yet he had raised his daughter Mako to be a strong, smart, courageous young woman. Chuck was also strong, smart, and courageous, yet where Mako had shown wisdom beyond her age and humility, Chuck was forever a slave to his own ego; something that his father had tried again and again to rid him of yet his lessons never seemed to take. And now his son was poised to inherit his own Jaeger, provided that a co-pilot could be found who could tolerate the man long enough to establish a stable drift.

The helicopter touched down at the Hong Kong Shatterdome in the late afternoon. Stacker was on hand to greet him as an old friend would, yet Chuck was noticeably absent. Herc should not have been surprised, but it saddened him. He was certain that his son knew he was coming. Stacker would have told him. He glanced around involuntarily as Stacker clapped him on the shoulder.

"He's readying for the trials," he whispered in Herc's ear. Stacker always seemed to know what was on his friend's mind. Herc nodded with a small grunt and lifted his head to take a look around. It had been many years since he had been to Hong Kong. Herc was primarily stationed at his home Shatterdome in Sydney, but Stacker recently requested his presence in Hong Kong, not just because of Chuck's candidate trials but it was fortunate timing.

"How's my boy doing?" Herc asked as they entered the massive structure side by side.

"In as much of a need of a kick in the pants as he always is, but he's well. Talented yet egotistical."

Herc frowned and nodded. He had hoped that working under Stacker's supervision would have straightened the young man out a bit, but that seemed to be unlikely.

"What time do the trials start? Do I have time to shower and grab a bite?"

"Two hours. You have plenty of time. Here are your quarters," Pentecost replied and they shook hands.

"It's good to see you again, Stacker."

"Likewise, my friend. I'll see you in the Kwoon."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sunara Deloi sat meditating in her quarters when the announcement came:

"All pilot candidates participating in the Candidate Trials please report to the Kwoon Combat Room."

Her heart sped up involuntarily. She took a moment to calm herself with a few more deep breaths, then opened her eyes and stood in one fluid motion. It was time to discover who her co-pilot would be. She was nervous, although there was no reason for her to be so. Sunara's last meeting with Marshall Pentacost had confirmed her suspicion that she would be the next officer to inherit a Jaeger. Her progression through the Jaeger Academy had been swift and unrelenting, her determination and willingness to learn and adapt had impressed the Marshall on several occasions, and her relationship with her friend Mako Mori, the Marshall's adopted daughter, had granted him greater insight into her character. Sunara was ready to become a Jaeger pilot.

Now, she needed to find her co-pilot, the person with whom she would be sharing not only her duties and Jaeger, but every private thought, emotion, and memory in her brain. It was a daunting prospect, to open oneself up in such an intimate way but such vulnerability was necessary to control the massive machines. The bond between Jaeger co-pilots was a unique experience and something that most human beings would never have the opportunity to experience. It was both a great privilege and a heavy burden. Sunara had hoped that Mako would still be available when she had her trials, as they had shared not only the bond of friendship but similar personality traits that she thought would mesh well in a Jaeger. However, Mako had found her co-pilot in Raleigh Becket only a year earlier and the two had a forged strong bond and fought well together because of it.

The Kwoon Combat Room was a familiar place to all officers in the Shatterdome. It was where they did all of their combat training in styles that ranged from fencing to boxing to all manner of martial arts. Today, there was a large crowd congregated around the entrance: a mix of off-duty rangers, officers, and engineers. Even the mess hall workers were present and all were loudly discussing the candidates for today's trials. The throng respectfully moved aside as Sunara entered the room. The selected candidates were seated cross-legged on the floor against the left wall and a wide gray mat covered three quarters of the floor.

Marshall Pentacost stood on the dais opposite of the entrance, conversing with a man she did not recognize. He acknowledged her with a nod as she entered and seated herself next to the six candidates she would be testing for compatibility with. She could feel the other candidates' eyes on her but ignored them as the Marshall brought the room to order. Sunara glanced at the unfamiliar man who stood next the Marshall with a clipboard in his hands. Normally Mako would be the one scoring the candidates, but she and Raleigh were currently stationed in Lima.

"Order!" the Marshall called sharply. The room and hallway outside went silent.

"As you are all aware, the engineers in Sydney have recently completed construction on their first Mark 5 Jaeger, Striker Eureka. Ranger Hercules Hansen has overseen her construction and is here to help judge the candidate trials to select her crew. After much consideration, I have selected Sunara Deloi as the first pilot for Striker Eureka. The six candidates here will be testing for compatibility with Miss Deloi."

The Marshall nodded in her direction and she stood, removing her shoes and socks, and stepped onto the mat with her bo staff in hand. Sunara used this moment to check out her opponents. Two of them she recognized from her days at the academy in Alaska. The other four she did not know; perhaps they were officers from other Shatterdomes who met the criteria for mental compatibility. They each stared back at her, scanning and assessing, except for one, a blond she recognized from the Academy. Chuck Hansen she believed his name was. He lounged at ease against the wall and glared at something past her shoulder, his expression a mix of anger and annoyance. As the Marshall continued his speech, she glanced back to see what Chuck was glaring at and noticed that the Ranger, Hercules Hansen, was staring back at the young man with a face like stone. _Of course_, she thought, _they must be related. They don't look too pleased to see each other_ _though._

She only had a moment to ponder if their animosity would affect Chuck's performance in the ring before the Marshall called for the first match. Sunara snapped to attention and took her place facing her opponent. The woman looked South American, with long dark hair that was tied back and braided.

"Four points marks a win. Begin!"

Sunara took up a low, defensive stance. She preferred to see what her opponent was capable of before going on the offense. Her opponent lunged forward and Sunara dodged a thrust at her hip, responding with a flurry of blows. Some were blocked but one blow made it through to the woman's shoulder.

"1-0" called out the Ranger in a heavy Australian accent.

The match continued. Sunara's opponent fought well, but lost with a score of 4-2. Her next opponent was man double her size who tried too hard to over power her with his weight which she used against him. The match ended at 4-0 and the man stomped back to his seat with a sour expression.

"Next up, Chuck Hansen," called the Marshall.

The blond entered the ring with what Sunara could only describe as a swagger. He shot another withering look at the Ranger, then shifted his attention to her. An arrogant, dimpled smirk ghosted across his face. Sunara resisted the urge to glare at him. She knew Chuck Hansen mostly by his reputation for being a complete asshole at the academy. He was talented and rose through the ranks as quickly as she had, but he according to most of the students and instructors, he had a major attitude problem. Sunara doubted they would be compatible. She could not tolerate arrogance in anyone.

"Four points marks a win. Begin!"

Sunara barely had a chance to block before Chuck charged in and hit her with a ferocious three part attack that landed her face down on the mat, his bo staff aimed at the back her neck.

"0-1"

He gave her another obnoxious smirk as she righted herself. This time she took a low stance and when he came for her, she blocked, ducked under and hit him in the back of the knees, then swung around and struck him underneath the chin. He landed on his back.

"1-1"

Chuck sprung up from his prone position and lunged at her again. His attacks were swift and strong, wild yet there was a tenacity to his blows, as if he simply refused to be taken down. She met his attacks blow for blow and went on the offensive which he met with equal ferocity.

Eight minutes passed and the score was 3-3. She could tell Chuck was getting tired keeping up his fervid attacks. She took the offensive again and stuck him twice, catching him in the ribs.

"4-3. Match over!" the Ranger called out even as Chuck poised to strike again. He shot the older man scathing look and lowered his staff. The opponents gave each other a customary bow, marking the end of their match and Chuck left the mat, nursing his bruised rib.

The Marshall then called for a fifteen minute break, for which Sunara was grateful. That last fight took more out of her than she anticipated. Chuck Hansen was a tough opponent and unpredictable with his attacks. Had it been anyone else she would have enjoyed the challenge, but Chuck was an arrogant fighter and he was clearly infuriated that he had lost. He took up his previous position against he wall and fumed and glared in her direction.

Sunara ignored his glares and accepted a cup of water from an officer to quench her thirst. She glanced up when she noticed the Ranger talking to Chuck. Whatever the Ranger said did not improve Chuck's mood as he barely responded, but with the crowd chattering again, Sunara could not hear the exchange.

The last three matches were not nearly as taxing as that one fight had been and Sunara took each opponent down in under four minutes.

"Trial over," called the Marshall. "Candidates, return to your quarters. At this time tomorrow, I will announce my decision. Sunara, stay here."

Sunara remained seated as the audience and candidates cleared the room. The Ranger stopped Chuck with a hand on his shoulder and spoke to him briefly. Chuck nodded at him grudgingly and left the room. Once the room was empty save herself, Marshall Pentacost, and the Ranger, Sunara stood and approach them.

"Well done, Miss Deloi," complimented the Marshall.

"Thank you, sir."

"Sunara Deloi, I'd like you to meet Ranger Hercules Hanson. Chuck Hansen is his son."

Hercules offered her his hand and she shook it politely.

"It's a honor to meet you, sir. I have heard much about you." Indeed, she had. Hercules Hansen had been a part of the Jaeger Program since the Mark 1 days and tales of his exploits were practically legend amongst the officers.

The older man smiled. He had the same dark blond coloring as his son and pale blue eyes, but his features were sharper and he had a layer stubble across his face. Yet where Chuck exuded a cold and distant arrogance, Hercules gave off a sense of warm confidence, stalwart and strong, like a forged steel. Sunara immediately respected him.

"The honor is mine, Miss Deloi. The Marshall has been telling much about you. Your skills are incredible. It's my pleasure to have you pilot Striker Eureka."

She could not help but blush at the compliment. She had known she would be getting a Jaeger, but she had no idea that it would be Striker Eureka, the first of the Mark 5's.

"I hear it is the most advanced Jaeger yet created. It is incredibly humbling to be chosen as one of its pilots."

"And now, if you'll excuse us," the Marshall interjected, "Herc and I must get to the business of choosing your co-pilot. We'll see you back here tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

Sunara bowed to the two men and left the Kwoon, her heart palpitating loudly in her chest. As she headed back to her quarters, she tried to convince herself that her sudden nervousness was because of the impending decision, and most of it was, but she suspected that some part of it was also because of the pale blue eyes that had gazed into her own only moments before.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After the trials, Chuck returned to his quarters. Max, his English bulldog, greeted him by slobbering all over his boots in excitement.

"How are you, handsome?" he fawned and scooped the dog into his arms. "God, you're getting heavy. I gotta stop feeding you so much." He tossed Max lightly onto his bunk then sat down and took off his boots. The bulldog would not wait for him to finish removing his socks before bounding onto his lap and demanding pets which Chuck happily obliged. He loved Max more than he did most human beings. People were always letting him down in one way or another but Max was always there for him no matter what.

The day before, Stacker had called Chuck into his office and told him that Herc was coming to the trials. Chuck was not happy about the news but Stacker explained that the construction of the new Australian jaeger, Striker Eureka, was complete and that Herc was here to help judge the trials to find its pilots. The situation threw Chuck for a loop. He had no idea that he would be testing specifically for Striker Eureka and his enthusiasm diminished somewhat. While Striker was supposed to be the most advanced jaeger in the world- the first of the Mark 5s- piloting Striker meant that he would be stationed at the Shatterdome in Sydney and working directly with his father. Herc was the senior supervisor at the Sydney Shatterdome and his authority there was second only to Marshall Pentacost. Chuck would have to answer to him not only as his father but also as his boss, and that did not sit well with him. But then, authority rarely did. It was no secret that Chuck saw Herc more as a rival than a father. Herc was one of the first jaeger pilots to serve at the start of the Kaiju War and he was renowned for his service record. He had retired from active duty five years ago when he took over supervision of the Sydney Shatterdome.

Chuck's only goal in life was to surpass his father in terms of service and greatness.

The last thing he needed was for Herc to get in his way.

He decided to jump in the shower before taking Max out for his daily walk. The poor dog had been cooped up inside this giant metal tin for too long. He needed to get out and see the sights, and Chuck needed to get his mind off of his father. Underneath the scorching water, his thoughts turned to his potential co-pilot, Sunara Deloi. He knew Sunara by her reputation alone; she had graduated from the Academy a year ahead of him and was considered to be one of their most gifted prospects. While they had never shared training sessions or classes, Chuck had often found himself in competition with Sunara for top marks.

It irked him that Stacker had already selected her to be Striker's first pilot before the candidate trials even began. Normally all pilot candidates were subjected to several series of trials before a suitable match was found, but for some reason the Marshall had decided to bypass that protocol with Sunara. Chuck could not pretend that he wasn't envious. He was practically raised in a jaeger conn-pod and had spent most of his young life learning everything there was to know about being a pilot. He worked hard to get where he was and if anyone was deserving of such a privilege, it should have him.

When he had entered the Kwoon combat room earlier that day, he felt ready to prove himself, yet at the sight of Herc standing next to the Marshall on the dais, Chuck felt a sudden serge of anxiety crawl over him. It had been over a year since he had seen his father and although he would never admit it, he craved his Herc's approval. No, not just his approval. He wanted to prove he was better than the man in every way. Herc had given him a curt nod when he entered, but he did not approach as Chuck sat with the other candidates. Chuck was thankful; he did not need the other candidates thinking he was a daddy's boy. Yet Herc's presence ended up being a major distraction for him during his trials, or at least that's what Chuck told himself after Sunara jabbed her bo staff into his left rib, scoring the final point against him. It pissed him off that he let his old man get to him like that. He should have won that match and he would have if Herc hadn't been there.

_I need to stop thinking about this_, he scolded himself. He was only making himself angrier. A perfectionist, Chuck judged others harshly, but he judged himself far worse. After the shower he dressed and grabbed Max's leash and clipped it to the eager dog's collar.

"Come on, Max. Let's get out of here."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"What do you think?" Herc asked between mouthfuls of beef and potatoes. He and Stacker sat in the Marshall's office eating a late dinner and going over the candidates' files.

"I was just about to ask you that. What do _you_ think?" Stacker responded between bites of his own meal.

Herc spent the last ten minutes flipping through his son's records. Chuck was a talented kid, but talent alone wasn't enough to get you into a jaeger. Even though he knew how much becoming a pilot meant to Chuck, he was skeptical that his son was ready for it. Chuck was still too impetuous and thick headed to mesh well with a co-pilot.

"Well to be honest, I don't think anyone up there demonstrated enough compatibility with Ms. Deloi."

"Is that so?"

"Chuck and Sunara were evenly matched during their fight, but..." he trailed off.

"But what?"

Herc sipped his drink, then took a deep breath. "I don't think he's ready. He's still as hard-headed and egotistical as he was when he entered the Academy. I don't know that he'll drift well with anyone." Herc's disappointment showed in his voice. He wanted his son to be happy but there was only so much he could do for him now. Chuck was a man, even though half the time he acted like a child. Nevertheless, he was responsible for his own attitude and that attitude made him unsuitable as a co-pilot.

"He is talented though," Stacker replied.

"Yes, that's true. He's a good fighter and fearless. But, do you really think he'll be able to match up with Sunara? Do you think Sunara will match up with him?"

"That's what I am hoping for," Stacker admitted. The fact was that out of all the candidates that possessed drift compatibility with Sunara, Chuck was the only one who rivaled her skills in combat.

"So you do want Chuck as her co-pilot then."

"You want to know what I think? I think that Chuck has the skill and potential be a great pilot. What he lacks is control and we both know that if left to his own devices he will never learn it. He needs someone who can match him but also rein him in, keep him in check."

"And you think Sunara can do that?"

Stacker took a sip of water. "Sunara is steady and strong. She has a firm control over her emotions and focus. That's what Chuck needs. You know that the Drift changes you. I think that there is the possibility that drifting with Sunara will change him. It is not uncommon for pilots to start taking on habits of their co-pilots after a while of drifting together."

"I know," Herc agreed. "I still can't believe you got me eating liver. I hated the stuff my whole life!" he said thinking back to the old days when he and Stacker had piloted the jaeger Lucky Seven together.

"You just never had it prepared properly," Stacker said with a grin. Often jaeger pilots found that their tastes changed after drifting with their partners for a time. It was the result of sharing their brain impulses.

"So, you're hoping that by having Chuck drift with Sunara, that he'll absorb some of her calm, steady nature."

"It's not such a stretch."

"I hope you're right, Stacker. Of course, you realize that the complete opposite could happen. Sunara could come out of the drift as an egotistical jerk," he joked.

"That's a risk we'll have to take, Mr. Hansen."

Herc chuckled and nodded. "I suppose you're right. It's worth giving them a shot. Besides, we still have several weeks of test runs scheduled in Sydney to discover if they're really going to be able to work together. We'll find out soon enough."


End file.
